Assistant Post-Conviction Defender

The Tennessee Office of the Post-Conviction Defender (OPCD) is accepting applications for an Assistant Post-Conviction Defender position. Candidates with all levels of experience will be considered. Applications received by February 28, 2025, will receive priority consideration. The position will remain open until filled. 

OPCD is an independent agency of the Tennessee state government. The agency represents people on Tennessee’s death row in appealing their convictions and sentences in state court, as well as in seeking clemency from the Governor. The office also provides non-case-specific assistance and educational resources to trial counsel appointed in capital cases. OPCD handles cases throughout Tennessee and travel is required. The office and the position are located in Nashville. Please see www.tnpcdo.net for further details about the agency.

Assistant post-conviction defenders work on teams with investigators and paralegals to develop guilt/innocence and sentencing claims on behalf of clients.  The assistant defender’s primary duties include: 1) developing and maintaining close working relationships with clients, 2) review and analysis of voluminous records, 3) identification of potential legal claims and investigative needs, 4) oversight of investigation and record collection, 5) consultation with experts, 6) drafting of extensive legal pleadings, 7) preparation and presentation of evidence at evidentiary hearings, 8) oral arguments in appellate courts, 9) and preparation and presentation of clemency applications to Governor’s staff.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Tennessee law license or eligibility for admittance to Tennessee State Bar through comity or bar examination (see Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 7 for details: https://www.tncourts.gov/rules/supreme-court/7)
• Demonstrated commitment to and passion for protecting the rights of indigent clients
• Strong written and oral advocacy skills
• Ability to analyze complex issues
• General understanding of mental illness, intellectual disability, trauma, and the role that race plays in the criminal justice system
• Ability to collaborate closely with others in a team setting
• Strong organizational skills
• Ability to develop trusting relationships with clients
• Ability to work and communicate with people from a variety of cultural backgrounds
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends
• Ability to travel within Tennessee, as well as out of state
• A valid driver’s license

Preferred Qualifications:

 Prior experience in one or more of the following areas:

·        Capital defense

·        Trial or appellate criminal defense

·        Complex civil litigation

·        Judicial clerkship

Benefits and Compensation:

·        Statutory salary scale ranges from $69,060 to $180,960 and is based on years of legal practice experience

·        No state income tax

·        Health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, as well as pharmacy benefits

·        10 weeks of paid parental leave

·        Generous annual, sick, and compensatory time accrual, in addition to other types of leave

·        Retirement program recognized as one of the strongest pension funds in the country

·        Partial tuition fee waivers at state institutions of higher learning for state employees and discounts on undergraduate tuition for children of state employees

·        Flexible work hours, including some ability to work remotely

·        In-house and national training opportunities

For more information regarding the benefits of Tennessee state employees, please visit: https://www.tn.gov/hr/employees1/benefits.html. For more information about the state retirement program, please visit: https://treasury.tn.gov/Retirement/Retire-Ready-Tennessee/for-State-Employees.

The OPCD is firmly committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment and to the principle of fair and equal employment opportunities for all citizens. The OPCD strives to protect the rights and opportunities of all people to seek, obtain, and hold employment without being subject to discrimination and harassment in the workplace.

Interested candidates should send: 1) a cover letter discussing their interest in capital defense work and qualifications for the assistant post-conviction defender position, 2) a resume, 3) three professional references, and 4) a writing sample to apply@tnpcdo.net. Applications received by February 28, 2025, will be given priority. The position will remain open until filled.

Applicants will receive a questionnaire to complete once they submit their application materials. Interviews with final candidates will be conducted in person, starting in the second week of March 2025. Accommodation of remote work for a limited amount of time will be considered for qualified applicants needing to relocate to Nashville.